Lifeboats rescue almost 1,000 people in 2008

A “HOLLYWOOD moment” when a lifeboat crew saved three fishermen seconds before their vessel sunk was among more than 800 incidents involving sea rescues in Ireland last year.

Figures from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) show that during 2008 almost 1,000 people were rescued during 863 lifeboat crew launches — the equivalent of 19 people every week.

Among the busiest of the 43 lifeboat stations based throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland were Dun Laoghaire in south Dublin and Crosshaven in Cork, which each rescued 57 people.